Dampening fluid evaporator

Claim 3

A method according to Claim 1, the step of coupling the fan such that rotation of the roller imparts force to drive the fan comprising: providing a drive pulley to rotate with the roller; providing a driven pulley to rotate with the fan; and mounting a belt on the drive pulley and the driven pulley such that the belt imparts force to the driven pulley for rotating the fan.

Claim 4

A method according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, the step of providing a fan comprising the steps of: mounting a transflow blower for rotation about a longitudinal axis which is spaced from and parallel to an axis about which the roller in the lithographic printing press rotates.

Claim 5

A dampening fluid evaporator for a litho­graphic printing press comprising: an elongated transflow blower having a longitudinal axis; means to mount said transflow blower adjacent a roller in a lithographic printing press; and drive means to rotate said fan to deliver air toward the surface of the roller to evaporate dampening fluid from the surface of the roller.

Claim 6

A dampening fluid evaporator for a litho­graphic printing press comprising: an elongated transflow blower having a longitudinal axis; means to mount said transflow blower adjacent a roller in a lithographic printing press; and drive means to rotate said fan to deliver air toward the surface of the roller to evaporate dampening fluid from the surface of the roller.

Claim 7

A dampening fluid evaporator for a litho­graphic printing press according to Claim 4, said drive means to rotate said transflow blower comprising: a drive member operably connected to said roller; a driven member operably connected to said fan; and elongated flexible drive means driven by said drive member for imparting force to said driven member.

Claim 8

A dampening fluid evaporator for a lithograp­hic printing press according to Claim 5, said drive member and said driven member comprising: pulleys, and wherein said elongated flexible drive means comprises a drive belt.

Claim 9

A dampening fluid evaporator for a lithographic printing press according to any one of Claims 4 to 6, said means mounting said transflow blow adjacent a roller in a lithographic printing press comprising: a blower housing; means rotatably securing said transflow blower to said blower housing; and means to mount said blower housing in a printing press.

Claim 10

A dampening fluid evaporator for a lithograp­hic printing press according to Claim 7, said means mounting said blower housing comprising a mounting plate and means to secure said mounting plate relative to an inker side frame.

Claim 11

A dampening fluid evaporator according to any one of Claims 4 to 8, said drive means comprising; an electric motor.

Claim 12

An inker for applying ink to a printing plate in a lithographic printing press comprising: a pair of press side frames; a plate cylinder rotatably secured between said side frames; a printing plate secured to said plate cylinder; a plurality of form rollers rotatably secured between said side frames and posi­tioned to apply ink to said printing plate; a plurality of vibrator rollers rotatably secured between said side frames and mounted in rolling engagement with said form rollers; at least one ink distributor roller rotatably mounted between said side frames and in rolling relation with at least one of vibrator roller; a transflow blower mounted for rotation about a lon­gitudinal axis between said side frames; and drive means rotating said transflow blower for delivering air to evaporate liquid carried on the surface of said distributor roller.

Claim 13

An inker for applying ink to a printing plate in a lithographic printing press comprising: a pair of press side frames; a plate cylinder rotatably secured between said side frames; a printing plate secured to said plate cylinder; a plurality of form rollers rotatably secured between said side frames and posi­tioned to apply ink to said printing plate; a plurality of vibrator rollers rotatably secured between said side frames and mounted in rolling engagement with said form rollers; at least one ink distributor roller rotatably mounted between said side frames and in rolling relation with at least one of vibrator roller; a transflow blower mounted for rotation about a lon­gitudinal axis between said side frames; and drive means rotating said transflow blower for delivering air to evaporate liquid carried on the surface of said distributor roller.

Claim 14

An inker for applying ink to a printing plate in a lithographic printing press according to Claim 10, said drive means comprising: an electric motor.

Claim 15

An inker for applying ink to a printing plate in a lithographic printing press according to Claim 10or Claim 11, said transfer blower comprising: a blower housing having an inlet passage and an outlet passage formed therein; and a fan in said blower housing constructed and arranged to draw air from adjacent said roller surface into said blower housing and to dispense a stream of diffused air to impinge against the roller surface for evaporating liquid from the surface of the roller.

Claim 16

A printing press according to Claim 12, with the addition of: U-clamps secured to said blower housing to support said blower to the printing press.

Claim 17

A printing press according to any one of Claims 10 to 13, said transfer blower comprising: a plurality of blades, each of said blades having a tip and a heel; a pair of solid end shrouds; means mounting said blades between said end shrouds such that the tip of each blade points in the direction of rotation and such that the heel of each blade is positioned circumferentially rearly of said blade tip to form forwardly curved blades.